Improvement in machines for blocking hats



E; c. FALES;

` Machines for Blocking Hats` N Patented May 20.1873.

WIT/VESSES UNITED STATES E. COPELAND FALES, OF FXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT IN MACHINES FOR BLOCKING HATS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. January To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, E. COPELAND FALES,

of Foxborough, in the county ot' Norfolk and State ot' Massachusetts, have invented a certain new and useful Improved Machine for `Blocking Hats, Bonnets, Src; and that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing:

The present invention relates to a machine lor apparatus more especially intended for shaping, pressing, and blocking straw-blanks for hats and bonnets into shape. Heretot'ore straw-blanks or cones for hats and bonnets have been blocked, pressed, and shaped by hand, and it was accomplished by putting the blank or cone on a block ot' the shape which it is desired to give to it, and then, by` drawing, stretching, and otherwise working with the `hands upon it, gradually bring or force it to conform to the block, which being accomplished, the blocking was completed and the hat, 85e., ready for removal, as ordinarily. But this hand-blocking is slow and tedious, and requires most skillful workmen as Well as the greatest care and attention to have the blank under proper relative strain and stretch at all points; and besides it is not satisfactory, either practically or commercially. Under this invention a machine or apparatus is produced by which the blocking, pressing, and shaping ot' blanks or cones for hats, bonnets, &c., is acconiplished,and in the inost complete, expeditious, and uniform ina-nner; and n this apparatus is employed the ordina-ry block; and to shape, press, and block a blank or cone thereon a ring or band, which ofit- ,selt' as well as its attachment to a carrier or holder, is constructed and adapted to be susceptible, at pleasure, both ot' enlargement and reduction in size as to its interior periphery. This ring, together with the block, is arranged in any ofthe ordinary and suitable upright presses, so that the ring can be both lowered to and thus placed upon the block and also lifted and removed threfroni; the block being stationary in the press. In addition to the above, in the said apparatus the carrier or holder for the stretching or shaping ring carries also a central elastic or yielding cushion or block, that is arranged to he adjusted as to its height and its elastic action, and, lurlli r- Iiiole, is located to bear upon the top portion of the ordinary hlockor former.

139,133, dated May 20, 181` 3 application filed z2, 167.5.

new and improved apparatus is illustrated- Fig. 2 a horizontal sect-ion in plane of line ww,

plane ot' line y y, Fig, 2; and Fig. 4 a central vertical section iii plane ot' line z z, Fig. 2, but with the hat-block and blocking-ring separated.

A in the drawing represents a block, which may be formed and constructed, as usual, for hat and bonnet blocks; and in the presentinL stanceit is shaped to block hats; B, the stretchor elliptical.

C U2 and D D2. The parts G O2make the two ends, and the parts l) D2 the two sides, ofthe elliptical ring, and the several parts are conspring-bands G of a head, I, both hereinafter more partcula-ry referred to. E, a strap securely fastened to section C of the end sections C U2, passing therefrom in each direction to the other sections D D2 and G2, to each of which is contined by fixed T-pins` a that overlap by their cross-portioii b the face s lots c. These slots c are at the proper points ring-sections. The strap at l each end `is free ot' the ring, and one end has a stirrup-t'rame,

its strap end is passed through the stirrcp-frame f, and, being bent as shown about the cross-piece h of the. stirrup, it'vtlien pulled,

from its lixed points ot' fastening on ring-section U, and thus the sections of the ring B are forced or moved inward equally, conthc ring as a Whole. 'Io admit ot' the contraction above stated the several sections of the ring are disposed With regard to ear-li end to end, from each other-that is, to have a space between the end ot' each sec ion and tue next section t1iereio-as,for insaaiice, as shown in Fig. 2 ottlie drawing. I lie springhands G, ny end H, are fa.` tened to the external periphery` i` tue sectional ring l5, one to each scc'lion, and by the screw-threaded In the accompanying plate of drawing this l Figure l being a side elevation of the same; l

Fig. l; Fig. 3 a central vertical section` in` ing ring or band, corresponding in its general y outline to that ot' the block A, which is oval This ring B, inthe present ni stance, is divided into four part-s or sections,

`nected and held in a ring-shape by vertical` ot' the strap E each side ot'lits Ioiigitudinal of the stra-p E to receive the T-pins offthe f, and the other end a handle, g, which, .with l the strap is drawn equally in both directions i tra-ctin g or reducing the interior periphery of other and connected to the strap, to set oli',

ends they are located in the openings 'L of die` common head I, and there secured by means of screw-nutsj and washers k, one upon each side ofthe head I, setting the head I and ring B in planes parallel to each other. l, a vertical stem arranged to play through the head I. This stein, at its upper end, is secured from escape by a screw-nut, m, and at its lower end has attached to it a block, K, of elliptical outline and having a concave bottom L, corresponding both in its outline and in its concavity with the top portion M ofthe hat-block A. n, a spiral spring on stem l, between block K and bottom of head I; and o o, parallel vertical rods fixed to head I, one on each side of the center stem l. These rods o o pass from the top-block K through holes p of the head l, and they act as guides to steady the top-blockK and to confine its movement in a direct right-angular plane to the parallel planes of the head I and ring B. The said hat-block A, and the said sectional ring B, for use together, are located in any ordinary and suitable press, whereby the one being stationary the other can be moved down upon and up from it.

Presses of this nature are common and well known, and therefore it is not deemed necessary herein to more particularly refer to them, except to observe that in locating the block A and ring B, the block A, for instance, is secured to the bed P and head I, carrying ring B to thevmoving cross-head or'plunger vQ, and the two adjusted, the one as regards the other to be in a corresponding axial plane, vertically, and in parallel planes horizontally, as shown in the drawing. With the blockA and sectional Yring B thus located in theY press, if the press-head be suitably operated, the ring can be moved downward to and placed on the block surrounding the body portion N thereof, by its internal periphery and with a continued downward move nient made to pass down the block till it is stopped by coming to a rest upon the brimportion O thereof; and if then the movement of the press-head be reversed, the sectional ring will commence to lift or raise, and by a continuance of such movement to the proper length, will be raised entirely clear of the block A, leaving the block A free for placing thereon a liat-cone to be blocked, or for removing the one, if any, previously blocked, as the case may pe.

By this up-anddown movement of the sectional ring B, in reference to thel block A, together with contracting and increasing the size of the internal periphery of the ring B, a hat is blocked, and the operation is as follows: First, place, as ordinarily, the hat-form or blank to be blocked or shaped into a hat upon the block A, and then bring the sectional ring d lwn upon the block, and at the same time contract, as described, its internal periphery sufficiently for it, as it comes in contact with the block, to closely' surround, embrace, and hug the same, when, as the ring continues to descend to the block-brim O, maintain said close hug and embrace of the block by properly pulling on or letting out the strap, according as the periphery of the block may require. During this downward descent of the sectional ring, and before it reaches its seat upon the block-brim, as stated, the tip-block K comes to a seat on the tip-portion of hateblock A, and through its spring n, rests with an elastic and yielding pressure thereon, confining the tip-portion of hat-form to the block. By the described hug and descent of the ring upon the block, the hat-form or blank is pulled, stretched, and drawn down, and made to conform toY the block, the strain and tension of such pulling, &c., being uniform and equal at such points in any given horizontal plane of the block. By the described rest and pressure oi' the tip-block K upon the tip of hat-block, the tip of the hat is most smoothly pressed and shaped, and in the seat or rest ofthe ring upon the brim-portion of hat-block the hatbrim is blocked, pressed, and shaped, a downward movement ofthe ring, as described, completely blocking, shaping, and pressing a hat.

It may be well to here observe that, in the use ofthe apparatus herein, the hat-block A is heated, and the hat-block steamed, as in ordinary hat-blockin g.

The blocking being completed, now release thepull on the ring-strap, allowing the ringsections to open the spring-bands G, assisting the same, and then raise the ring so as to entirely clear the block, when remove the hat and, placing another hat-blank on the block, proceed as before.

The ring B, in the present instance, is adapted to block a flat-brim, but, with aV proper formation of it, obviously brims of all shapes can be blocked-as, for instance, a turn-up brim; and, furthermore, it is plainly apparent that the apparatus herein described may be used for blocking, shaping, Snc., hats or bonnets made from various materials, and the ring B can be divided into more or less sections, as the working of it may require. n

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- 1. In aY hat-blocking machine. I claim a block, A, and a sectional ring, B, arranged as described, in combination with the tip-block K, the whole operating substantially as described.

2. The sectional ring B, with its encircling band E, spring-bands G, and head l, all arranged together, substantially as described, in combination with a block, A, as specitied.

3. The tip-block K having yielding spring n and guide-stems o o, all carried by the head I, in combination with a sectional ring B of said head I, and a block, A, the wholzettsubstantially as described, for the combined purpose specified.

The above specification of my invention signed by me this 26th day of November, A. D. 1872.

Witnesses: E. COPELAND FALES.

ALBERT W. BROWN, Jos. MoELnoY. 

